Rudolph E. Petrucci

Rudolph E. Petrucci (86) passed away at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on April 30th. He is survived by Lucille Petrucci, his beloved wife of 26 years. His sister, Elda E. Coppa, predeceased her brother by six months. He was the uncle of Gregory, John, Michael, Frank and Thomas Coppa; also Genevieve Meegan and Susan Collins. Born in Providence, he was the son of the late John and Eva (Fazzi) Petrucci. Rudolph graduated from Classical High School and later Brown University ('50) after serving in the US Navy in WWII as a specialist in emerging radar systems. His knowledge of electronics was a result of working with his father, an early radio pioneer, who built both radios and many of their components from scratch. Upon graduation from Brown, Rudolph worked for IBM on initial versions of their mainframe computers. Lured by National Science Foundation programs recruiting scientists and engineers, Rudolph returned to Rhode Island where he became a teacher who subsequently taught physics to a generation students in the city of Cranston. Active in many churches including St. John's (Providence. RI) and St. Lucy's (Portsmouth, RI), Rudy was a man of great faith. An avid sailor in his early years he loved cruising offshore with his cousin, Ed Fazzi, aboard Houqua and White Star. Their voyages took them from Long Island Sound to distant harbors along the Maine coast. He was also an accomplished skier at the time the sport was first emerging. In the late Fifties and Sixties he influenced all seven of his treasured nieces and nephews to both sail and ski. In his later years he enjoyed hiking in New Hampshire and Arizona. Rudy's love and generosity will be missed by all who knew him. Cemetery Details Swan Point Cemetery Providence, RI, Visitation JUN 28. 08:00 AM - 10:00 AM Memorial Funeral Home 375 Broadway Newport, RI, US, 02840 info@memorialfuneralhome.com http://www.memorialfuneralhome.com Service JUN 28. 10:30 AM St. Lucys Church 909 West Main Road Middletown, RI, US, 02842